Ashulia unrest: Tofail for harsh action
Trouble-makers identified
Staff Reporter :
Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed on Friday said that the government would identify the trouble-makers at the Ashulia garment industrial zone and they would be brought to book.
He issued the warning at ‘meet the press’ programme held in the Dhaka Reporters Unity (DRU) in the morning.
“The government will not tolerate any anarchy in the country’s garment sector and those who are fuelling labour unrest in Ashulia would be brought to book soon,” said Tofail.
The minister said, the intelligence is working to identify the instigators responsible for creating recent unrest in the Ashulia garment factories.
“At least 90 illegal labour organisations are operating in Ashulia which are blamed in fuelling unrest at Ashulia time and again. The activists and the leaders of the ‘so-called’ trade union are now under intelligence radar. If their involvement is found in the latest workers’ unrest, the government would go tough against them,” warned Tofail.
The Minister also said that the government was closely monitoring the current situation at Ashulia. At the same time, concerned ministries, BGMEA and workers’ leaders are discussing means to calm down the ongoing labour unrest there.
“We hope that normalcy will return in the industrial zone in a day or two and the workers will go back to their workplaces by this time,” he added.
On Tuesday, the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) announced closure of 55 apparel factories in the Ashulia area for an indefinite period in the wake of labour unrest.
The workers of these factories reportedly started work abstention from December 12 to press home their 12-point demands, forcing the authorities to shut production in a move to quell further flare up of labour unrest.
Sources said the law enforcing agencies have already launched a wide-ranging crackdown on the labour rights activists and the labour leaders amid labour unrest in Ashulia.
The crackdown was launched in line with the list of 200 trouble-makers. The list was prepared after intelligence departments took quick steps.
Detectives have already detained seven labour leaders and one Vice Chairman of Ashulia for instigating labour unrest and disrupting industrial production.
Several cases have also been filed against named and unnamed persons on the charge of creating unrest.
Ashulia is the home of at least 800 high-ranking apparel units, which produce clothing for reputed global apparel brands and retailers.
Bangladesh is the second largest apparel exporter in the world after China.
It exported garment items worth $28.09 billion in 2015-16 fiscal.
Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed on Friday said that the government would identify the trouble-makers at the Ashulia garment industrial zone and they would be brought to book.
He issued the warning at ‘meet the press’ programme held in the Dhaka Reporters Unity (DRU) in the morning.
“The government will not tolerate any anarchy in the country’s garment sector and those who are fuelling labour unrest in Ashulia would be brought to book soon,” said Tofail.
The minister said, the intelligence is working to identify the instigators responsible for creating recent unrest in the Ashulia garment factories.
“At least 90 illegal labour organisations are operating in Ashulia which are blamed in fuelling unrest at Ashulia time and again. The activists and the leaders of the ‘so-called’ trade union are now under intelligence radar. If their involvement is found in the latest workers’ unrest, the government would go tough against them,” warned Tofail.
The Minister also said that the government was closely monitoring the current situation at Ashulia. At the same time, concerned ministries, BGMEA and workers’ leaders are discussing means to calm down the ongoing labour unrest there.
“We hope that normalcy will return in the industrial zone in a day or two and the workers will go back to their workplaces by this time,” he added.
On Tuesday, the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) announced closure of 55 apparel factories in the Ashulia area for an indefinite period in the wake of labour unrest.
The workers of these factories reportedly started work abstention from December 12 to press home their 12-point demands, forcing the authorities to shut production in a move to quell further flare up of labour unrest.
Sources said the law enforcing agencies have already launched a wide-ranging crackdown on the labour rights activists and the labour leaders amid labour unrest in Ashulia.
The crackdown was launched in line with the list of 200 trouble-makers. The list was prepared after intelligence departments took quick steps.
Detectives have already detained seven labour leaders and one Vice Chairman of Ashulia for instigating labour unrest and disrupting industrial production.
Several cases have also been filed against named and unnamed persons on the charge of creating unrest.
Ashulia is the home of at least 800 high-ranking apparel units, which produce clothing for reputed global apparel brands and retailers.
Bangladesh is the second largest apparel exporter in the world after China.
It exported garment items worth $28.09 billion in 2015-16 fiscal.
